Subject: Re: possible extension of 3.5m shutdown

From: Ed Turner

Submitted: Wed, 28 Aug 2002 17:28:45 -0400 (EDT)

Message number: 600 (previous: 599, next: 601 up: Index)

A great deal has been accomplished during the ongoing 3.5-meter shutdown,
including what appears to be an excellent re-aluminization of the primary
and extensive work on the enclosure shutter drives.

Due to the necessity of taking on some unplanned work/repairs and various
small glitches of the usual sorts, it will be necessary to extend the
shutdown by *at least* two nights.  Thus, science operations on August 30
and 31 are canceled (affecting UC02 and PU04).

The last stages of every major shutdown require on-sky work to align the
telescope, generate new pointing models and instrument blocks etc.  They
thus depend on the weather.  There is thus the possibility of further
delay in the resumption of scheduled science operations.  At this point
there appears to be a substantial possibility that weather delays will
require us to also cancel science ops on Sept 1 and 2, so those programs
(NM01, PU03, PU04, UW02 and UW05) are at risk.  PIs of those programs
will be informed when the situation becomes clearer and may want to
contact APO for last minute updates.

In addition to the above issues re the telescope, SPIcam is currently
inoperative due to a failure of its mechanical cooler.  We are waiting for
new parts being shipped by the manufacturer, but it appears unlikely that
SPIcam will be available again for at least the coming week.  Programs
scheduled to use it (of which PU03 is the first) should designate an
alternate instrument or arrange for alternate use of the assigned time.

Ed Turner


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